The 49ers suffered their worst defeat in 74 duels against the Packers with 38:10.
The San Francisco 49ers suffered one of their most painful losses in franchise history against the Green Bay Packers.
With a 38:10 debacle, the 49ers suffered their biggest defeat in 74 meetings with the Packers. This defeat also marked the third-biggest defeat since Kyle Shanahan took over as head coach in 2017.
Shanahan: “The whole game was disappointing”
Kyle Shanahan, visibly disappointed, could hardly put into words his team’s weaknesses. “The whole game was disappointing,” he explained. “When you take penalties like that, don’t stop the run and have three turnovers in the second half, you get cited.”
Those words reflected the mood in the locker room after the 49ers fell to a 5-6 record and found themselves on a two-game losing streak.
Self-inflicted mistakes and lack of star power
The loss was particularly noticeable as the 49ers were without some of their key players.
Quarterback Brock Purdy, defensive end Nick Bosa and tackle Trent Williams were missing due to injuries. But Shanahan made it clear that the defeat was largely caused by avoidable mistakes. The Niners committed nine penalties for 77 yards and three turnovers, which led directly to Packers touchdowns.
Crucial mistakes and missed opportunities
A key moment of the game was a pass that slipped through the hands of receiver Deebo Samuel and was intercepted by Packers safety Xavier McKinney. That interception led to another Packers touchdown and increased the 49ers’ deficit to 17 points.
Tight end George Kittle summarized the necessary steps: “Catch everything, don’t get any penalties and don’t lose the ball.”
Hope for Purdy’s return
Despite the loss, there remains hope that Brock Purdy could return soon.
Shanahan called Purdy’s appearance against the Buffalo Bills “uncertain,” but the quarterback accompanied the team to Green Bay and backed up Brandon Allen, who was making his first start since the 2021 season finale.
Looking ahead: duel with the Bills
Now the 49ers have to focus on the upcoming game against the Buffalo Bills. Despite the problems, they are just one game behind the leaders in the competitive NFC West Division.
Time is of the essence and the 49ers must find answers quickly to save the season. “We have to focus on next week,” guard Dominick Puni said. “Big game against the Bills on Sunday night. We have to be ready.”
